Top 10 Unique Campgrounds for RV Travelers
During our 4 years of full-time RVing, we’ve stayed at some pretty interesting campgrounds. However, we haven’t even scratched the surface – so many campgrounds offer much more than a place to park your RV home temporarily. These unique campgrounds are destinations in and of themselves. Add in some interesting things to do in the surrounding areas and these places should be added to your bucket list!
Our list of Top 10 Unique Campgrounds:
Thunder Bay Resort RV Park, Hillman, MI
The main attraction here is watching elk roam in their natural habitat, but that’s not the only unique experience offered at Thunder Bay. Carriage rides or sleigh rides take you out to see the elk and at the end of the ride a gourmet dinner and wine tasting awaits you. Thunder Bay also has murder mystery weekends which include the carriage/sleigh ride and elk viewing with dinner and wine tasting, 2 breakfasts, and Friday night dessert and appetizer reception. Other features at this campground:
- Golf course
- Disc golf, fling golf and foot golf
- Clubhouse Grill
- Chalets or cabins for rent
Things to do in the area:
- Wineries featuring northeast Michigan wine and cider
- Great Lakes tour of “Shipwreck Alley”
- Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center
- Besser Museum and Planetarium
Mount Rushmore KOA at Palmer Gulch Resort, Hill City, SD
Besides great views and close vicinity to Mount Rushmore, Black Hills and Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore KOA offers a unique experience with the Mount Rushmore Rodeo, free to guests of the campground. The rodeo is offered on select dates, so be sure to check their rodeo page for more information. Produced by LKC Rodeo Productions, the Mount Rushmore Rodeo events include bull riding, saddle bronc, bareback, team roping, barrel racing and mutton bustin’ fun for the kids. And don’t forget the Chuck Wagon Dinner! This award-winning dinner show takes place in a remote mountain meadow– there are only two ways to get there, either on horseback or in their horse-drawn covered wagons. You will enjoy traditional cowboy music performed by local cowboys and ranchers and receive a 5-Star steak dinner under the dramatic shadow of Black Elk Peak. Other fun things available at Palmer Gulch:
- Horseback riding
- Two pools and hot tubs, water slide (Memorial Day through Labor Day)
- Bicycle rentals (a 100-mile “rails-to-trails” bike path is just 3 miles away)
- Palmer Gulch Mining Company
- Mini-golf
- Fishing
- Golf cart rentals
- UTV rentals
- “Polkapalooza” in September – German food, beverages and of course music!
Things to do in the area:
- Mount Rushmore National Monument
- Crazy Horse Monument
- National Presidential Wax Museum
- Custer State Park
Ingalls Homestead, De Smet, SD
The Ingalls Homestead has just 4 RV sites, 4 covered wagons, 1 bunkhouse and some tent sites, so it is never crowded. Stay on the land that was homesteaded by Charles Ingalls in 1880, known as “Laura’s Living Prairie”. See some of the buildings on the property, such as “Ma’s LIttle House” and the Little Prairie School. Join in prairie activities, see the old farm equipment or Laura’s travel exhibit. If you were a fan of the Little House books or TV series, staying at this historic property will be a once in a lifetime experience. I’m not going to list the amenities here, since this is a pretty simple campground which keeps it authentic. There are water and electrical hookups at the RV sites and a dump station in the parking lot. Bathroom and shower facilities are available as well.
Things to do in the area:
- 6 miles from Indian Mounds at Spirit Lake
- 5 miles from Lake Thompson and Lake Henry (great fishing and hunting)
- Schade Vineyard and Winery
- De Smet Cemetery resting place of Ingalls family
- Depot Museum located in the railroad depot
Merry Meadows Recreation Farm, Freeland, MD
Previously known as “Morris Meadows”, this campground was started by the Morris family 55 years ago! Now renamed Merry Meadows Recreation Farm (still owned by the same family), it is situated on three levels of both open and heavily forested countryside. Get close to nature with animals, rare birds, natural springs and a large variety of plant life. Little Falls Stream hiking trails run for two miles along the bottom level of the park in Little Falls Valley. Interesting activities include a giant swing, mechanical bull and a jump pad. All amenities at Merry Meadows:
- Pool & Splash Park
- Golf Range
- Giant Swing
- 6 Pickle Ball Courts
- Miniature Golf
- Crazy Bikes
- Horseshoe Pit
- Volleyball Court
- Basketball Court
- Softball Field
- Playground
- Jump Pad
- Mining
- Frisbee Golf
- Fun Center
- Pet Park
- Wi Fi (free)
- Little Falls Stream
- Nature Trails
- Entertainment Center
- Pavilion
- Two Laundry Rooms
- Corn Hole
Things to do in the area:
- Hershey Park
- Lancaster
- Washington, D.C.
- Gettysburg
- Baltimore
Beaver Dam Dive Shop, Eureka Springs, AR
If you always wanted to take a scuba diving class, head to this campground in popular Eureka Springs, AR. Beaver Dam Dive Shop offers scuba courses for both beginners and experienced divers. Try out your new diving skills at Beaver Lake, a crystal clear lake perfect for viewing aquatic life. The RV campground has a variety of full hook-up sites including some 50 amp sites. They also offer monthly discounts and even a “weekends only” monthly rate that is very reasonable. Besides the scuba lessons offered here, you can enjoy the many other amenities:
- Lake View
- Convenience Store with pop, ice, grocery, and food
- Dive Shop
- Made to Order Pizza
- Ice cream parlor
- Swimming Pool
- Free WiFi – two 100 meg internet circuits
- Shower House
- Scuba Air Fills on Site
- Training Room with large TV for easy viewing during training
Things to do in the area:
- Eureka Springs Safari Park
- Haunted Eureka Springs Tours
- Historic Eureka Springs Crescent Hotel and Spa
- Thorncrown Chapel
- Blue Springs Heritage Center
- Intrigue Theater
Sutherlin/Umpqua Valley KOA, Sutherlin, OR
Camp at a drive-in movie theater! Sutherlin/Umpqua KOA was built at the site of the Cloverleaf Drive-in and offers RV sites, tent sites, and a Jurassic World themed vacation rental. Watch movies from your rig or tent ! Other amenities include:
- Wi-Fi
- Cable TV
- Propane
- Pavilion
- KampK9®
- 24 Hour Laundry
- Barbeque Deck
- Camp Store
- Club House
- Drive-In Movie Theater
- Frisbee Golf
- Game Room
- Horse Shoes
- Play Ground
Things to do in the area:
- Wildlife Safari
- Umpqua Food Trail
- Heceta Head Lighthouse
- Umpqua River
- Umpqua Wine Tour
This silver mining town was abandoned in the mid 1890s. It was acquired by Walter Knott in the mid 1950’s and original buildings were restored. It is now part of the San Bernadino Regional Parks system and offers camping, hiking and off-roading. Calico has dry camping, partial hookups or full hookups as well as cabins or bunkhouses. Consider staying during one of the annual events like California Days, an event that turns Calico into a living history museum complete with gunfights, music and food. The Ghost Haunt occurs for two weekends in October. Fun things to do and see at Calico Ghost Town:
- Off-roading
- Mounting biking
- Hiking
- Lucy Lane Museum
- Maggie Mine
- Calico Odessa Railroad
- Mystery Shack – House of Optical Illusions
- Gold Panning
- Shops
- Calico House Restaurant
- Lil’s Saloon
- Popcorn wagon
- Sweets Shop
Things to do in the area:
- Liberty Sculpture Park
- Calico Early Man Site
- Eddie World
- Wild West Off-Road Adventures
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Mosca, CO
This national park is home to North America’s tallest sand dunes, with some over 750 feet tall. Views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains from the park provide a dramatic backdrop with peaks of over 14,000 feet. Great Sand Dunes is also a designated International Dark Sky park so you can enjoy beautiful star-filled skies. Camp in the Pinon Flats Campground, but be aware that this is an older campground and spaces are made for smaller rigs. If you have a larger rig consider staying at another area campground like Oasis Campground or Ramble at Great Sand Dunes. Things to do:
- Sandboarding and Sand Sledding
- Hiking and Backpacking
- Stargazing
- Free ranger programs
- Play in Medano Creek
- 4 wheel drive at Medano Pass Road
- Horseback riding
- Visitor’s Center
- Sandhill crane migration
- Fishing
Things to do in the area:
- Hike to Zapata Falls
- Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge
- View bison at Zapata Ranch
- Visit San Luis Lake
For a unique experience try the hayride and chuck wagon cookout available at the Custer Sate Park Resort. Established in 1912 as Custer State Forest, this beautiful park covers 71,000 acres within the Black Hills of South Dakota. Experience mountain views, swimming, paddling, hiking, biking, fishing and more in this unique setting. Don’t miss the annual buffalo round-up in September when over 1,300 buffalo thunder through the valley. Water hookups and flush toilets only available between the end of April and the beginning of October. There are 9 campgrounds with RV sites, tent sites, cabins and horse camps. Other things to do at Custer State Park:
- Biking (on trails)
- Birdwatching
- Boating
- Canoeing
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Historical Interest
- Horseback Riding
- Interpretive Signs
- Kayaking
- Museum/Visitor Center
- Paddleboard Rental
- Paddleboarding
- Picnicking
- Rock Climbing
- Snowshoe Checkout
- Snowshoeing
- Swimming
Things to do in the area:
- Mount Rushmore
- Black Elk Peak
- Mount Coolidge Lookout Tower
- Crazy Horse Memorial
- Wind Cave National Park
- 1880 Train
Big Texan RV Ranch, Amarillo, TX
Stay in a covered wagon if you’d like, or choose one of the cabins or RV sites for your stay that is about 1 mile from the famous “Big Texan Steak Ranch”. This campground offers free limousine shuttle service to the Big Texan Steak Ranch, where diners can try the 72 oz. steak challenge. Though we didn’t try the challenge, we enjoyed the shooting gallery, museum-like displays and giant gift shop. Definitely a unique experience! Other amenities at the RV park:
- Heated indoor pool and sauna
- Playground
- Bound pad
- Outdoor gazebo and BBQ pits
- 3 fenced dog parks
Things to do in the area:
- Starlight Ranch Entertainment
- Route 66 attractions
- Horseback riding
- Amarillo Botanical Gardens
- Palo Duro Canyon
HONORABLE MENTION – LAMBERT’S CAFE
Lambert’s Cafe, Sikeston, MO or Ozark, MO
Lambert’s “Home of the Throwed Rolls” Cafe is definitely worth the trip. We have stayed here twice while traveling through the area and enjoyed the unique dining experience, atmosphere and cute gift shop at Lambert’s. Just like the name implies, waitstaff throw fresh baked rolls to your table from across the room. The dining experience also includes endless helpings of southern side dishes such as blackeyed peas, fried okra, fried potatoes and onions, macaroni and tomatoes. As for dinner, we played it kind of safe with BBQ ribs and catfish, but there are some southern favorites like frog legs, chicken gizzards and hog jowl. Yum! Note that advanced reservations are not available at the RV park, so it is first come-first served.
For more camping destinations, see our “fun” page : www.newliferv.us/fun/
As always, thank you for reading! Leave comments below.